Picker stick



Sept. 10, 1946. H. CARLSON PICKER STICK Filed May 23, 1945 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l' /Yawzfz 04:12am

',O-T-a 'o IN V EN TOR.

Patented Sept. 10, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PICKER STICKY Harold Carlson, North Franklin, Conn.

Application May 23, 1945, Serial No. 595,443

1 Claim. l

This invention relates to picker sticks for looms.

It is a fact well known to those skilled in the art that, because of the pounding and other strains to which a picker stick is subjected, it soon becomes worn or broken and thus is rendered unfit for further use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a picker stick with reinforcing elements and pads or buffers located where they can take up the wear heretofore received by the wood of which the picker stick is formed.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred forms of the invention have been shown.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a picker sticky constructed in accordance with the present invention, the same being shown assembled with a sweep stick.

Figure 2 is a section on line 22, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on line 3-3, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4, Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged section on line 5-5, Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an elevation of the picker stick viewed at right angles to Figure 1, the sweep stick link or lug being shown in section, and the spring strap also being shown in section.

Figure 'I is an enlarged section on line 1-1, Figure 6.

Figure 8 is an enlarged section on line 8-8, Figure 6.

Figure 9 is an enlarged section on line 9-9, Figure 6.

Figure 10 is an enlarged section on line III-I0, Figure 6. n

Figure 11 is an enlarged section on line I I-I I, Figure 6.

Figure 12 is a section on line I2-I2, Figure 3.

Figure 13 is a section like FigurellI showing a modified construction. l

Referring to the figures by characters of refer-Y ence, I designates a picker stick formed of wood, as ordinarily. In the present case, the upper end of the picker stick is reinforced by a sleeve 2 fitted snugly therearound and over the end therecient toughness toresist wear.

of so as to serve as a cap. This can be made of aluminum or a strong aluminum alloy of sufi`1- The cap is held to the endA of the picker stick by a screw 3 or the like extended downwardly into the picker stick and opposed tongues 4 can be formed integral-with the reinforcing sleeve or cap so as to bear upon opposed faces of the picker stick to which they are attached by means of friction or other suitable means.

For the purpose of taking up wear upon that portionA of the picker stick adjacent to the magazine of the loom, thereis provided a metal collar 6 fitted tightly about the picker stick and held thereto by friction or the like. The side of the collar remote from the shuttle is cut away,` as indicated at.8 and is bridged by a cushioning strip 9 formed of leather or the like which is held iirmly to the picker stick by the end portions of the collar.

At a point between its ends, where the picker stick is to be connected to the sweep stick I0, there are provided spaced metal collars II held to the picker stick by friction or the like. These collars serve to attach a cushioning strip I3 to the picker stick as shown.

That portion of the picker stick located between the collars Il is positioned within a link I4 formed of opposed strips I5 which are spaced apart at one end by a filler I6 of fibre or the Y like, while the opposite ends thereof lap opposed faces of one end of the sweep stick IIJ. A pivot bolt I1 is extended transversely through the sides I5 and the lapped portion of the sweep stick III and has nuts I8 which bear against wear plates I9 so shaped as to straddle the side strips I5. These wear plates also have offset edge portions 20 which serve as locks to prevent the nuts I8 from rotating on the bolt'.

To prevent splitting, spaced bolts 2I are extended transversely through the outerend of the link I4, these bolts being also extended through a reinforcing collar 22 which extends around the end portion of the link. To one side of this collar is secured a bracket 23 which, in turn, is engaged by a bolt 24 extending laterally from a plate 25 which straddles one of the side strips I5, it being understood, of course, that the bolt is extended through the side strips. This bolt has a nut 26 thereon which can be locked against rotation by an outturned flange 21 or other suitable means. This bolt is utilized as a strap connecaccises the side strips I5 and in which the picker stick works, is a Cushion or bumper 29 formed of lapping layers of leather or other suitable material which are folded, as shown, and have side portions cut away, as at 3D so as to straddle the side strips I5 as clearly shown in Figure 12. After these lapping strips have 'been inserted in the slot they cannot fall therefrom because of the recesses at the points where the strips are out away. This cushion or bumper can be formedvof leather or of strips of leather and rubber and, under some conditions, one or more of the overlapping strips could be of metal. It is merely essential that the material of which the cushion or bumper is formed be such as to afforda proper cushioning effect whereby motion of the picker stick outwardly relative to the link I4 will notresult in Wear on the picker stick or the strip I3 carried thereby.

As shown particularly in Figures l, 2 and 5, the sweep stick iii has'a-tubularbearing 3l seated therein for receivingA the pinfi. ordinarily employed for engagement by the fork indicated generallyy at-33. This portion of the sweep stick containing the bearing is reinforced -by -a collar 34 fitted snugly therearound-and-held to the sweepstickbylrivets-'lfor the-like. The cus tomary strap 35 is attached at one end to 4one end thesweep stick byl means lea transverse bolt 3l* having a nut whi'chcan be provided with a suitable lock 3Q such as a' flanged plate clamped to one end of the strap and to the sweep stick by the bolt 3l. Theother Yend of the strap 35 is clamp-ed' to' the side of the sweep stick vby a plate 4E) held in position by a bolt 4I the nut 42 on which is held against' free rotation. by lock i3 of suitable construction.

The lower end of .the picker stick has a collar 44 tted tightlythereon and held thereto by rivets l5 cr the like. This collar holds a tubular bearing member i5 which' projects laterally beyond the picker stick and alsovserves to clamp to the picker stick one end of theV strap'lleading to the usual springi. A.v cushioning stripliii can be held between thestrap andthe rounded end 5i) of the picker stick, all of the parts being tightly held to the picker stick by one or more rivets 5I and by a tongue 52 constituting an extension of the collar 44.

As shown in Figure 13, the structure illustrated in Figure 1l, can be modied by extending one end of the strap 53 into a looped or folded plate 5LB clamped securely to the collar 55, as shown. In this connection a centeringplate 56 is secured to the picker stickand extendsltransversely of the strap, this plate having side ears 51 which serve to prevent the strap from slipping laterally out of position.

It has been found in practice that by constructing a picker stick and the cooperating parts as 'herein described, the same will not break down picker' stick-and constituting means for holding the cushioning-strip in position,`of alink ernbra'ci'ng the picker` stick between1 the collars' for attachment tofafsweep'stickg--said'link having a longitudinal slot in Whichthe Apicker-stick is mounted` to 'work-#andla cushioning pad interposed-between.onelwalllof the slot-and the picker stick forr engagement with the cushioning strip onthepicker-J stick, said-pad includingoverlying strips ofiiexible.material-folded upon themselves to' form asiiigleloops-atits sides thev loop -being cut away beiotvnthe fold in the-#pad -to `receive and be. supported! soie-lybythelsides Vof the link hereby to hold the fold yDO-ltion'- ofth'eloop in positionv tot contracttand'expand when subjected successively to: pressurefbyand` release from the picker stick, those portions oflthe 'strip-slbetween .the cutilaway. sidefbeinglextendd'across the slot andthe link.

i HAROLD CARLSON. 

